Institution
University of Cagliari
Education•Cagliari, Italy•
About: University of Cagliari is a education organization based out in Cagliari, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Dopamine. The organization has 11029 authors who have published 29046 publications receiving 771023 citations. The organization is also known as: Università degli Studi di Cagliari & Universita degli Studi di Cagliari.
Topics: Population, Dopamine, Dopaminergic, Nucleus accumbens, Agonist
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
More filters
••
TL;DR: The increased rate of HBsAg clearance in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B supports the use of peginterferon alpha-2a as a first-line treatment.
309 citations
••
TL;DR: A psychological role for neurosteroids and GABAA receptors in the modulation of emotional behavior and mood is suggested.
Abstract: The effects of social isolation on behavior, neuroactive steroid concentrations, and GABA(A) receptor function were investigated in rats. Animals isolated for 30 days immediately after weaning exhibited an anxiety-like behavioral profile in the elevated plus-maze and Vogel conflict tests. This behavior was associated with marked decreases in the cerebrocortical, hippocampal, and plasma concentrations of pregnenolone, progesterone, allopregnanolone, and allotetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone compared with those apparent for group-housed rats; in contrast, the plasma concentration of corticosterone was increased in the isolated animals. Acute footshock stress induced greater percentage increases in the cortical concentrations of neuroactive steroids in isolated rats than in group-housed rats. Social isolation also reduced brain GABA(A) receptor function, as evaluated by measuring both GABA-evoked Cl(-) currents in Xenopus oocytes expressing the rat receptors and tert-[(35)S]butylbicyclophosphorothionate ([(35)S]TBPS) binding to rat brain membranes. Whereas the amplitude of GABA-induced Cl(-) currents did not differ significantly between group-housed and isolated animals, the potentiation of these currents by diazepam was reduced at cortical or hippocampal GABA(A) receptors from isolated rats compared with that apparent at receptors from group-housed animals. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate, a negative allosteric modulator of GABA(A) receptors, on these currents was greater at cortical GABA(A) receptors from socially isolated animals than at those from group-housed rats. Finally, social isolation increased the extent of [(35)S]TBPS binding to both cortical and hippocampal membranes. The results further suggest a psychological role for neurosteroids and GABA(A) receptors in the modulation of emotional behavior and mood.
307 citations
••
TL;DR: In this paper, the performance of the electrodes was evaluated in terms of faradaic yield and fraction of toxic intermediates removed during the electrolysis of 2-chlorophenol at Ti/PbO2 and Ti/SnO2 anodes.
Abstract: Electrochemical oxidation of 2-chlorophenol was studied at Ti/PbO2 and Ti/SnO2 anodes. The performance of the electrodes was evaluated in terms of faradaic yield and fraction of toxic intermediates removed during the electrolysis. Results showed that, although similar average faradaic yields were obtained using Ti/PbO2 or Ti/SnO2 anodes, the latter material is preferred because of its better ability to oxidise toxic compounds. An effective electrochemical treatment (ηF≅50%) may be accomplished, in which electrolysis at Ti/SnO2 can be stopped when, in spite of a relatively high COD, only a small amount of easily biodegradable oxalic acid is present in the effluent.
307 citations
••
TL;DR: It appears that a critical range of DA turnover is necessary for optimal cognitive functioning after stress, in the response of the CNS to ever-changing environmental demands.
Abstract: In this review, we will examine the most recent preclinical evidence in support of the fact that both acute and chronic stress may have a detrimental impact on the normal function of the dopaminergic system. In recent decades, the term stress has changed its meaning from that of a 'non-specific body response' to a 'monitoring system of internal and external cues'; that is a modality of reaction of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) which is critical to the adaptation of the organism to its environment. Compelling results have demonstrated that the dopaminergic system is important not only for hedonic impact or reward learning but also, in a broader sense, for reactivity to perturbation in environmental conditions, for selective information processing, and for general emotional responses, which are essential functions in the ability (or failure) to cope with the external world. In this, stress directly influences several basic behaviors which are mediated by the dopaminergic system such as locomotor activity, sexual activity, appetite, and cross sensitization with drugs of abuse. Studies using rat lines which are genetically different in dopamine (DA) physiology, have shown that even small alterations in the birth procedure or early life stress events may contribute to the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders-in particular those involving central DA dysfunction-and may cause depression or psychotic derangement in the offspring. Finally, the fact that the dopaminergic system after stress responds, preferentially, in the medial prefrontal cortex (MFC), is thought to serve, in humans, as a protection against positive psychotic symptoms, since the increased DA activity in the MFC suppresses limbic DA transmission. However, excessive MFC dopaminergic activity has a negative impact on the cognitive functions of primates, making them unable to select and process significant environmental stimuli. Thus it appears that a critical range of DA turnover is necessary for optimal cognitive functioning after stress, in the response of the CNS to ever-changing environmental demands. Molecular Psychiatry (2000) 5, 14-21.
307 citations
••
TL;DR: A genome-wide association study of haemoglobin concentration and related parameters in up to 135,367 individuals identifies 75 independent genetic loci associated with one or more red blood cell phenotypes at P < 10−8, which together explain 4–9% of the phenotypic variance per trait.
Abstract: Anaemia is a chief determinant of global ill health, contributing to cognitive impairment, growth retardation and impaired physical capacity. To understand further the genetic factors influencing red blood cells, we carried out a genome-wide association study of haemoglobin concentration and related parameters in up to 135,367 individuals. Here we identify 75 independent genetic loci associated with one or more red blood cell phenotypes at P < 10(-8), which together explain 4-9% of the phenotypic variance per trait. Using expression quantitative trait loci and bioinformatic strategies, we identify 121 candidate genes enriched in functions relevant to red blood cell biology. The candidate genes are expressed preferentially in red blood cell precursors, and 43 have haematopoietic phenotypes in Mus musculus or Drosophila melanogaster. Through open-chromatin and coding-variant analyses we identify potential causal genetic variants at 41 loci. Our findings provide extensive new insights into genetic mechanisms and biological pathways controlling red blood cell formation and function.
306 citations
Authors
Showing all 11160 results
Name | H-index | Papers | Citations |
---|---|---|---|
Herbert W. Marsh | 152 | 646 | 89512 |
Michele Parrinello | 133 | 637 | 94674 |
Dafna D. Gladman | 129 | 1036 | 75273 |
Peter J. Anderson | 120 | 966 | 63635 |
Alessandro Vespignani | 118 | 419 | 63824 |
C. Patrignani | 117 | 1754 | 110008 |
Hermine Katharina Wöhri | 116 | 629 | 55540 |
Francesco Muntoni | 115 | 963 | 52629 |
Giancarlo Comi | 109 | 961 | 54270 |
Giorgio Parisi | 108 | 941 | 60746 |
Luca Benini | 101 | 1453 | 47862 |
Alessandro Cardini | 101 | 1288 | 53804 |
Nicola Serra | 100 | 1042 | 46640 |
Jurg Keller | 99 | 389 | 35628 |
Giulio Usai | 97 | 517 | 39392 |